Benjamin askew



( No'Model.)

B. ASKEW.

GAR GOUPLINGTOOL. No.25 6,611. Patented Apr. 18,1882.

N. PETERS. Pmlilho m hn. Washin twn. 04 C.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT UFFIQE.

BENJAMIN ASKEW, OF EDINBURGH, COUNTY OF MID-LOTHIAN, SCOTLAND.

CAR-CCUPLING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,611, dated April '18, 182. Application filed February 23, 1882. (No model.) Patented in England September 9, 1881.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN AsKnW, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Edinburgh, in the county of Mid-Lothian, have invented Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Railway-Vehicles, which apparatus may also be used for other purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto a new or improved arrangement or combination of apparatus for couplirg and uncoupling railway'carriagcs, wagons, and other railway-vehicles; and it has for its object to enable these operations to be eifected without the necessity of the porter or other railway servant getting down on the line between the vehicles, as has hitherto been customary. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, of the coupling and uncoupling apparatus constituting my said invention. As shown by these figures, the-apparatus con sists of a metal or wooden tube, a, composed of two sections or pieces joined or connected together by a coupling-piece, Z1,into which each ofthe said sections is screwed. One section, a, of the tube is closed at its outer end,while on the outer end of the other section a hook or jaw, c, is screwed. At the interior, and to-.

ward the closed end of the tube, a spiral spring, d, is situated, one end of the said spring being secured or connected to a pin, 1, passing through the tube a, while the other end of the said springis connected to an eye or block, a, screwed onto one end ofa rod, bar, or tube,f,w hose other end projects through the open end of the tube a. The said end of the rod, bar, or tubefis preferably provided with a renewable piece, 9, screwed onto it and made of steel. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the piece g; Fig. 4, a detailed end elevation of the hook c, and Fig. 5 a detailed view of the block or eye 0 at right angles to Fig. 2.

lhe rod, bar, or tubefis movable outward and inward through the open end of the tube a, and such movement is effected by a bellcrank lever, h, centered between lugs or projections formed on the coupling-piece b. The inner end of the lever it passes through a slot in the coupling-piece b into a slot or opening made in the eye or block e, as more particularly seen at k, Fig. 5, and acts upon the movable rod, bar, or tubef, so as to force the end of it outward from the open end of the tube a, when the free end of the lever is pressed by the hand of the railway servant inward or toward the tube a.

In using the apparatus the coupling-link of the vehicle is hooked into the jaw c, and the free end of the bell-crank lever his then pressed toward the tube a, whereby the movable rod, bar, or tubefis forced outward from the tube a and grips or securely holds the couplinglink in the jaw c, which being effected, the link may with facility be placed on or removed from the hooked end of the draw-bar of the next vehicle. \Vheu this has been effected the hand-pressure on the bellcrank lever h is released and the movable rod, bar, or tube f is drawn back to its normal position by the spiral spring d.

The book 0 and piece g are preferably serrated on the parts which come in contact with the coupling, in order to afford a better holding or gripping surface.

Besides being used for the purposes hereinbefore described, the apparatus may be employed for other coupling and uncoupling 'pur' poses.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

lhe new or improved coupling and uncoupling apparatus, consisting of the combination of the tube a a, hook 0, spring (7, rod or tube f, and lever h, substantially as hereinbefore described, and shown on the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed.

BENJAMIN ASKEW. [L. s] Witnesses:

JAS. MGGONKIE, GEo. GARSTAIRS,

Both of 10 George Street, Edinburgh. 

